Barbican Conservatory Hands Out 500 Plant Cuttings Before Three-Year Closure

On Wednesday, the Barbican Centre in London held the first of three plant adoption events, distributing 500 cuttings from its conservatory to the public before the greenhouse closes for a £231 million renovation. The conservatory, located on the third and fourth floors of the brutalist estate, will shut for three years and reopen in 2030 with full accessibility and extended opening hours. The event drew a crowd of 500 people, including residents like Lydia Goldberg, a 56-year-old tech worker who chose a Swedish ivy, and Stella, 88, who took home a Benghal dayflower but declined to reclaim a giant monstera she had donated. Head gardener Marta Lowcewicz noted a 'social media storm' and said the climate has changed since the 1960s, making some indoor plants suitable for outdoors. She plans to retain as many plants as possible and select new ones with 'big, bold leaves' to complement the concrete architecture. The adoption process included filling out an 'adoption form' similar to adopting a pet. The conservatory's closure is part of the wider Barbican renewal programme, and chief operating officer Dr Philippa Simpson described the space as a 'green lung of the city' in urgent need of rescue due to falling glazing and waterproofing issues. The event was bittersweet for attendees, who expressed sadness about the long closure but excitement about taking a piece of the iconic space home.